US7886896B2 - Method of controlling the tension of a bin carousel chain - Google Patents

Method of controlling the tension of a bin carousel chain Download PDF

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Publication number
US7886896B2
US7886896B2 US11/912,822 US91282207A US7886896B2 US 7886896 B2 US7886896 B2 US 7886896B2 US 91282207 A US91282207 A US 91282207A US 7886896 B2 US7886896 B2 US 7886896B2
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Prior art keywords
undulations
chain
sensor
slack run
tension
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Expired - Fee Related, expires
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US11/912,822
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English (en)
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US20090301843A1 (en
Inventor
Stephane Marisy
Bruno Leopold
Dominique Decharran
Alain Danjaume
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Solystic SAS
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Solystic SAS
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Assigned to SOLYSTIC reassignment SOLYSTIC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LEOPOLD, BRUNO, DANJAUME, ALAIN, MARISY, STEPHANE, DECHARRAN, DOMINIQUE
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G23/00—Driving gear for endless conveyors; Belt- or chain-tensioning arrangements
    • B65G23/44—Belt or chain tensioning arrangements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G43/00—Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method of monitoring the tension of a continuous endless drive elongate member mounted to be moved over a closed-loop path and having a slack run along which it forms undulations.
  • the invention applies more particularly to a mail handling machine having one or more bin carrousels whose bins are driven to move around a closed-loop path via a drive chain, e.g. an endless roller chain, or indeed a cable or a belt.
  • a drive chain e.g. an endless roller chain, or indeed a cable or a belt.
  • Such a mail handling machine that more particularly has two superposed bin carrousels is known, for example, from European Patent Document EP 1 222 036 and is shown in FIG. 1 .
  • the mail handling machine thus has a bottom conveyor or carrousel 2 made up of bins 2 A mounted to be moved along a first closed-loop path, and a top conveyor or carrousel 3 made up of bins 3 A mounted to be moved along a second closed-loop path that is superposed on the first path.
  • the two bin paths extend in planes that are substantially horizontal.
  • the carrousel 2 serves first sorting outlets constituted by trays such as 2 B disposed on a first horizontal level
  • the carrousel 3 serves second sorting outlets constituted by trays such as 3 B disposed on a second horizontal level situated above the first sorting outlet level.
  • FIG. 1 shows a small number of bins 2 A, 3 A and of trays 2 B, 3 B, but it should be understood that the bins are distributed over the entire length of the bin path. Carrousels having 200 or 350 bins are common in mail handling machines.
  • each bin 2 A of the carrousel 2 is slidably guided along their closed-loop path by a system of rails 2 C.
  • each bin 2 A is provided with a structure having a plurality of bearing rollers that are mounted to move in a plurality of rails of the system of rails 2 C.
  • the roller structure is coupled to an endless drive chain (not shown in FIG. 1 ) which is engaged over a cog pulley 2 D driven in rotation by a motor 2 F and which is also engaged over a chain return and tensioning pulley 2 E.
  • the bins 3 A of the carrousel 3 are also guided by another system of rails 3 C and are coupled to another endless drive chain (not shown) which is engaged over the cog wheel 3 D driven in rotation by the motor 3 F and over the chain return and tensioning pulley 3 E.
  • the machine shown in FIG. 1 is fed with letters or with other flat items via one or more inlet branches such as 4 which inject the flat items into the bins 3 A of the top carrousel 3 only.
  • flat items are for sorting to a sorting outlet served by the bottom conveyor 2
  • such flat items are transferred from a bin 3 A of the conveyor 3 to a bin 2 A of the bottom conveyor 2 via a transfer zone 5 .
  • the movements of the bins 2 A and 3 A of the conveyors 2 and 3 are synchronized by an electric shaft.
  • the bins 2 A and 3 A of the two conveyors follow parallel paths that are very close together in a vertical plane so as to enable a flat item contained in a bin 3 A to be transferred to a bin 2 A merely by gravity.
  • Such checking is usually performed by visual inspection.
  • visual inspection For that purpose, an operator climbs onto the top portion of the casing of machine, opens one or more covers in the casing of the machine, and observes the two chains. In particular, the operator observes the extent to which chains are “weaving” or “floating”, but such inspection is approximate because it depends on the opinion of the operator.
  • Patent Document DE 3 927 892 discloses a device making it possible to check the tension of an endless drive chain, whereby pressure is exerted on the chain perpendicularly to the direction of movement of said chain, and values of reaction to the pressure are compared with known limit values.
  • Patent Document DE 3 502 664 also discloses a device making it possible to check the tension of a drive chain by means of a plurality of force sensors associated with the pulleys over which the chain is engaged. Such an installation is very complex and costly to implement.
  • Patent Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,058 also discloses a method of performing continuous and real-time monitoring for checking the tension of a chain engaged over two cog pulleys by measuring the force exerted by hydraulic actuators for keeping the two pulleys a certain distance apart. That method is not suitable for the length of a drive chain of a bin carrousel of a postal sorting machine.
  • An object of the invention is to propose another method of monitoring the tension of an endless drive chain in a bin carrousel for a postal sorting machine.
  • an object of the invention is to propose such a method that enables the tension of the chain to be monitored continuously.
  • Another object of the invention is to propose such a method that is simple and inexpensive to implement.
  • the invention provides a method of monitoring the tension of a continuous endless drive elongate member mounted to be moved over a closed-loop path and having a slack run along which it forms undulations, said method being characterized in that it consists in placing a sensor on said closed-loop path for detecting undulations going past in the slack run, and in counting the number of undulations detected by the sensor, said number of counted undulations serving as a magnitude for measuring the tension of the drive member.
  • the idea of the invention is thus based on the fact that the number of undulations that form on the slack run of a chain is representative of the tension of the chain. Within certain limits, the more the chain is relaxed, the higher the number of undulations that form. Since said undulations are generated in the vicinity of the drive cog wheel and since they die out in the vicinity of the return guide, the undulations going past are detected where they are of maximum amplitude, i.e. in the vicinity of and downstream from the drive cog pulley.
  • a contactless sensor is used to detect the undulations going past in the slack run, e.g. an inductive sensor, an optical sensor, or the like so that monitoring the tension of a bin carrousel drive chain is independent of the length of the chain.
  • an inductive sensor it is possible to use the sensor called “IFFM 20P17A3” sold by “Baumer”, that sensor being quite compact so that it is easy to accommodate in the cramped spaces of a bin carrousel.
  • the invention also provides a mail handling machine having a bin carrousel whose bins are driven to move around a closed-loop path via an endless drive chain having a slack run along which the chain forms undulations, said machine being characterized in that it includes a system suitable for detecting undulations going past in the slack run of the chain, and in counting the number of detected undulations for the purpose of monitoring the tension of the chain.
  • said machine may have the following features:
  • the term “endless drive elongate member” that is “mounted to be moved over a closed-loop path” is not limited to a chain, but rather it covers any type of endless elongate member used in transmitting motion and drive for moving baskets, pods, or the like for conveying people or objects, such as, for example, a cable, a belt, or the like.
  • FIG. 1 is an overall diagrammatic view of a prior art postal sorting machine having two carrousels
  • FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of a bin carrousel of a mail handling machine of the invention
  • FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the path of the fastening calipers for fastening the bin bearing and guide structures to the drive chain;
  • FIG. 4 is a plan view of the slack run of a chain, along which run undulations form;
  • FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the various steps in monitoring the tension of the chain.
  • FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a bin and of its bearing and guide structure arranged on a system of rails, and of an inductive sensor.
  • the method of the invention can be implemented in a mail handling machine that is analogous to the mail handling machine shown in FIG. 1 and described in Patent Document EP 1 222 036 and applies more particularly to devices having a closed-loop chain driven to be moved at a single point.
  • FIG. 2 a single bin carrousel of a mail handling (postal sorting) machine is shown in FIG. 2 .
  • the carrousel 10 comprises bins 11 for conveying postal items.
  • the bins 11 move around a path forming a closed loop.
  • Each of the bins 11 has a roller bearing and guide system that is mounted to move in a system of rails 12 in the direction L.
  • the roller system is drivingly coupled, so that it moves in direction L, to an endless chain 13 , e.g. a roller chain, via a hanger arm 14 and via a fastening caliper 15 represented by a diamond-shape in FIG. 2 .
  • the bins 11 of the carrousel are distributed at a uniform distance apart over the entire length of the chain 13 , i.e. the fastening calipers 15 for fastening the bins to the chain are spaced apart by a length of a few tens of centimeters (cm), and more particularly by 285 millimeters (mm).
  • the drive chain 13 is engaged over a first cog pulley 16 , and over a return runner 17 (or a return second cog pulley) placed remote from the first pulley 16 .
  • the pulley 16 is motor driven at 18 and the return runner 17 is provided with a system 19 for adjusting the tension of the chain.
  • FIG. 3 shows the tensioned run 20 of the chain and the slack run 22 of the chain along the closed-loop path T.
  • the length of a run of the path T is about 60 meters for a loop width of 2 meters.
  • the drive chain 13 is more particularly a chain having rollers and flat links, which flat links extend in the plane of FIG. 3 .
  • undulations form in the slack run 22 . Said undulations are thus formed in the plane of FIG. 3 , i.e., in practice, in the horizontal plane.
  • FIG. 4 shows the undulations O formed on the slack run 22 of the chain 13 .
  • it shows undulations that form between the fastening calipers 15 immediately downstream from the motor-driven pulley 16 . These undulations tend to die out going downstream in the direction L of movement of the chain 13 .
  • FIG. 4 shows, in dashed lines, the path T that is followed by the roller systems of the bins 11 in the rails 12 (and thus of the calipers 15 )
  • the undulations normally oscillate on either side of said path T as shown in FIG. 4 between two fastening calipers 15 but it is not impossible for the chain 13 on the slack run to form sort of undulations to one side only of the path T. It should be understood that, as the endless chain 13 moves in the direction L, undulations form, move in the direction L, and disappear on reaching the vicinity of the return runner 17 .
  • a contactless sensor 23 is disposed along the path T at the slack run of the chain 13 in order to detect undulations 9 going past.
  • Said sensor 23 can be an inductive sensor or a ferromagnetic induction sensor that emits a magnetic field and that sends back a signal when the magnetic field is disturbed.
  • the sensor 23 is disposed in a manner such that it is offset relative to the path T so that the undulations O of the chain 13 pass through the magnetic field that it emits.
  • an undulation O passes through the magnetic field of the sensor 23 in the direction L, it generates magnetic interference that is detected by the sensor 23 which then delivers a corresponding outlet signal.
  • the maximum amplitude of the undulations is a few centimeters, and it is possible, for example, to offset the sensor 23 by 2 cm off the path T.
  • contactless sensors can also be used such as, for example, an optical sensor.
  • the outlet signal S of the sensor 23 is sent to a data-processing unit 24 that counts the number of occurrences of detection within a given period of time. This counting can be performed cyclically by the unit 24 so that the tension of the chain can be monitored almost continuously.
  • the number of occurrences counted in an (adjustable) period of time is compared with a reference value. The comparison can then be continued by the unit 24 sending an alarm signal C, for example, or indeed a control signal for the tension adjustment system 19 .
  • the reference value can be a number of occurrences counted with a chain 13 having the required tension characteristics.
  • Counting in the unit 24 consists, for example, in comparing the reference value with the real value with a tolerance of +/ ⁇ 30% defining the lower limit of under-tensioning of the chain and the upper limit of over-tensioning of the chain.
  • the counting in the unit 24 takes place while the carrousel 10 is operating, and when the chain has reached its operating speed.
  • the counting period of 100 seconds corresponds in practice to the period necessary for the chain 13 to travel over at least one lap of the path T. Tests have shown that that period gives relatively reliable results.
  • FIG. 6 shows, in more detail, an example of mounting the contactless sensor 23 of the inductive type on a system of rails 12 of a bin carrousel of a mail handling machine.
  • FIG. 6 is cross-section view of the drive chain 13 for driving a bin 11 with a set of guide rails 12 a , 12 b , 12 c for guiding a roller system 29 supporting the bin 11 .
  • the rails 12 a to 12 c are channel-section rails and are disposed in such a manner that they face in different directions so as to form a 2-axis system for holding the roller system captive.
  • FIG. 6 also shows, in cross-section, three rollers 29 a , 29 b , 29 c of the roller system 29 which are mounted in the rails 12 a to 12 c .
  • the rollers 29 a to 29 c are mounted on axles that are secured to a load-bearing structure of the bin 11 , the suspension arm 14 fastened to the chain 13 via a caliper 15 or the like being part of said load-bearing structure.
  • two other rollers (not shown) of the roller system 29 roll respectively in the same rails 12 a , 12 b as the rollers 29 a and 29 c.
  • the sensor 23 is mounted via a bracket 25 on the rail 12 a that faces the chain 13 .
  • a double-headed arrow represents the zone Z in which undulations in the chain 13 form/move and which is situated under the sensor 23 , i.e. in the detection zone of the sensor 23 and thus in the zone of emission of the magnetic field B;

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Conveyors (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Devices For Conveying Motion By Means Of Endless Flexible Members (AREA)
  • Control Of Charge By Means Of Generators (AREA)
  • Peptides Or Proteins (AREA)
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging Apparatus (AREA)
  • Control Of Electrical Variables (AREA)
  • Control Of Eletrric Generators (AREA)
US11/912,822 2006-08-03 2007-07-02 Method of controlling the tension of a bin carousel chain Expired - Fee Related US7886896B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0653271 2006-08-03
FR0653271A FR2904615B1 (fr) 2006-08-03 2006-08-03 Procede pour controler la tension d'une chaine de carrousel a godets
PCT/FR2007/051575 WO2008020136A1 (fr) 2006-08-03 2007-07-02 Procédé pour contrôler la tension d'une chaîne de carrousel à godets

Publications (2)

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US20090301843A1 US20090301843A1 (en) 2009-12-10
US7886896B2 true US7886896B2 (en) 2011-02-15

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US11/912,822 Expired - Fee Related US7886896B2 (en) 2006-08-03 2007-07-02 Method of controlling the tension of a bin carousel chain

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US (1) US7886896B2 (de)
EP (1) EP2049418B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE451316T1 (de)
DE (1) DE602007003739D1 (de)
ES (1) ES2338071T3 (de)
FR (1) FR2904615B1 (de)
WO (1) WO2008020136A1 (de)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101803346A (zh) * 2007-09-14 2010-08-11 罗姆股份有限公司 便携式电话
EP2207742A1 (de) * 2007-10-12 2010-07-21 Rexnord Marbett s.r.l. System und verfahren zur fernüberwachung der betriebslebensdauer von fördereinrichtungen von artikeln
FR2999165A3 (fr) * 2012-12-07 2014-06-13 Cinetic Transitique Carrousel equipe d'un systeme de detection du soulevement, du deraillement ou de la separation de chariots et systeme de gestion dudit carrousel
AU2018247224B2 (en) * 2017-10-17 2022-07-14 Joy Global Underground Mining Llc Sensor systems and methods for detecting conveyor tension in a mining system
CN115156095B (zh) * 2022-07-08 2023-09-05 南京航空航天大学 大张力缠绕成型用热塑性预浸料的红外检测装置及方法

Citations (11)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5502293A (en) * 1992-05-26 1996-03-26 Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha Heater element for a tube connecting device
US5641058A (en) * 1994-04-16 1997-06-24 Westfalia Becorit Industrietechnik Gmbh Method and a device for tensioning endless drive belts
US6029799A (en) * 1997-08-19 2000-02-29 Dbt Automation Gmbh Method for controlling drives of conveying machinery
US6137974A (en) * 1998-12-21 2000-10-24 Xerox Corporation Photoreceptor belt tensioner system
US6435035B1 (en) * 1999-11-23 2002-08-20 Jervis B. Webb Company Chain tension monitoring apparatus and method
US6802414B2 (en) * 1999-06-04 2004-10-12 Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen Gmbh Conveyor chain tension adjusting device
US6834228B2 (en) * 2001-10-25 2004-12-21 The Gates Corporation Belt drive system with automatic belt tension control
EP1222036B1 (de) 1999-07-15 2006-04-26 Solystic Vorrichtung, die eine anzahl übereinander liegende taschenförderer umfasst, zur sortierung von flachen gegenständen
US7117989B2 (en) * 2003-07-24 2006-10-10 Dbt Gmbh Device for detecting the tension of scraper chains
US7729994B2 (en) * 2004-07-19 2010-06-01 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Performing automatically authorized programmatic transactions
US7793775B2 (en) * 2008-06-24 2010-09-14 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and apparatus for determining wear of a continuous chain

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5505293A (en) * 1995-01-23 1996-04-09 York Food Systems Spiral freezer infeed assist drive system

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5502293A (en) * 1992-05-26 1996-03-26 Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha Heater element for a tube connecting device
US5641058A (en) * 1994-04-16 1997-06-24 Westfalia Becorit Industrietechnik Gmbh Method and a device for tensioning endless drive belts
US6029799A (en) * 1997-08-19 2000-02-29 Dbt Automation Gmbh Method for controlling drives of conveying machinery
US6137974A (en) * 1998-12-21 2000-10-24 Xerox Corporation Photoreceptor belt tensioner system
US6802414B2 (en) * 1999-06-04 2004-10-12 Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen Gmbh Conveyor chain tension adjusting device
EP1222036B1 (de) 1999-07-15 2006-04-26 Solystic Vorrichtung, die eine anzahl übereinander liegende taschenförderer umfasst, zur sortierung von flachen gegenständen
US6435035B1 (en) * 1999-11-23 2002-08-20 Jervis B. Webb Company Chain tension monitoring apparatus and method
US6834228B2 (en) * 2001-10-25 2004-12-21 The Gates Corporation Belt drive system with automatic belt tension control
US7117989B2 (en) * 2003-07-24 2006-10-10 Dbt Gmbh Device for detecting the tension of scraper chains
US7729994B2 (en) * 2004-07-19 2010-06-01 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Performing automatically authorized programmatic transactions
US7793775B2 (en) * 2008-06-24 2010-09-14 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and apparatus for determining wear of a continuous chain

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2049418B1 (de) 2009-12-09
DE602007003739D1 (de) 2010-01-21
WO2008020136A1 (fr) 2008-02-21
US20090301843A1 (en) 2009-12-10
FR2904615A1 (fr) 2008-02-08
EP2049418A1 (de) 2009-04-22
FR2904615B1 (fr) 2008-09-12
ATE451316T1 (de) 2009-12-15
ES2338071T3 (es) 2010-05-03

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